RSS Bandit

Features

Interface

The three-pane user interface is modeled after desktop email clients, with a tree view showing the list of feeds. The application has a number of features inspired by email readers and other RSS readers including:

• Search folders for reading all items that match a search term or just all unread items
• Import and export subscription lists as an OPML file
• Keyboard shortcuts for main functions
• Ability to download podcasts
• Automatic marking of items as read as they are scrolled past
• Search in all feeds, across all updates from subscriptions
• Current subscription lists and read/unread state of items in the application can be synchronized via a FTP or WebDAV server, allowing use from multiple computers
• Feeds can be read from a Google Reader account, allowing the user to subscribe or unsubscribe from feeds, mark items as read or star them in RSS Bandit and have these changes reflected in Google Reader
• Feeds can be read from Facebook accounts, to read their news feed and comment on the status updates of their friends.

Reception

The application received 4 out 5 stars in a review on Download.com. It has also received 4 out of 5 stars in a review on About.com.

References

References

1. [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms950744.aspx Building a Desktop News Aggregator]
2. [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms950799.aspx Revamping the RSS Bandit application]
3. RssBandit/RssBandit
4. [http://rssbandit.org/features/downloading-and-managing-pending-podcasts/ "RSS Bandit official blog: 'Downloading and Managing Pending Podcasts'"]
5. (2009-01-15). "RSS Bandit". CNet.
6. "RSS Bandit 1.6 - RSS News Feed Reader". New York Times Company.